Which Role Written for Taraji P. Henson Went to Naomi Watts Instead?

With an Oscar nomination for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button already under her belt, Taraji P. Henson broke into another stratosphere of celebrity in 2015 thanks to her no-holds-barred approach to her Empire character, Cookie Lyon. Perhaps inspired by Cookie, Henson pulls no punches in a new memoir, Around the Way Girl, where she tackles Hollywood double standards with all the fearless tenacity usually reserved for someone who has retired from the industry.

In an excerpt obtained by USA Today, Henson writes that screenwriter and director Theodore Melfi created the role of a pregnant stripper in 2014’s St. Vincent for her. “Time and again, I’ve lost roles because someone with the ability to green-light a film couldn’t see black women beyond a very limited purview he or she thought ‘fit’ audience expectations,” Henson writes. The role eventually went to Naomi Watts.

Though St. Vincent received mixed reviews from audiences and critics, Henson laments, “It was a meaty gig. I would have loved it.” Invoking the language of Jim Crow, she concludes, “Alas, I couldn’t get served at that particular restaurant.”

Henson also expressed frustration over her salary in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button claiming she got “the equivalent of sofa change” compared to the film’s leads, Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. According to Henson, she had to pay for her own hotel room during the three months of filming and her final paycheck was near “the lowest of six figures.” For perspective, the production budget of the movie was $150 million. Henson says she poured her personal frustrations into her Benjamin Button performance, which turned it into something of a “spiritual awakening.” Those efforts certainly resonated, landing her awards-season recognition and opening the door to even greater stardom.